The man who brought mistletoe magic to a single momMost people dream of a white Christmas. But this particular Yuletide Meg could have done without snow! She'd crashed her car and was forced to seek the kindness of a stranger.Jed Cole clearly wasn't delighted to have Meg and her little boy foisted upon him. But they found themselves sharing Christmas together--and watching a festive miracle unfold....
I have written almost 250 romance novels in contemporary and Regency.
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
This Christmas Harlequin didn't work for me for a couple of reasons. First the hero was really mean to the heroine for the first part when she got stuck at his house in a snowstorm. He had no reason to be such a jerk to her. Then the rest of the book focuses mostly on the heroine's f-ed up family dynamics when they go visit her parents for Christmas. Seriously, there was barely any romance while the story concentrates on how screwed up her mother and sister are plus there is baby-momma drama. Then suddenly the hero and heroine are in luv despite spending most of the time either fighting or with her screwed up family (which also was miraculously fixed and lovey dovey by the end). No love scenes either so I felt jipped by both the lack of romance and the lack of loving. There were a few okay moments but not enough to overcome the bad parts.
The British h and her cute son literally run into the veddy American's cottage during a snow storm. In hiding, the H is not that happy to see them, but he let's them stay the night.
Next day he ends up in the Christmas from the cold side with the h's emotionally shut down family. A cold and emotional mother, a shallow and selfish sister, a father that tries, the cute 3 year old son and somehow they end up with HEA not just for the h and H but her family.
Probably more like 4.5*. Maybe I was just in the mood for a good Christmas romance but I really enjoyed this book. 27 year old, single mother Meg heads to the country to see her parents for Christmas. This will be the first time she has seen them since her 3 and half year old son was born. This family has many problems and she is not looking forward to the strained emotions that this visit will create. She unfortunately finds herself driving in a full scale snow storm and eventually her car slides into the cottage where the H, Jed, is living. He is a famous author who is hiding away from his fans and trying to write his next best seller. He is not pleased to have Meg and her son invade his privacy. He ends up putting them up for the night and then taking them on to her parents the next day. I won't share more and spoil the story but this a nice, warm romantic story. Just right for Christmas.
Meg and her three year old son get stranded during a blizzard and end up taking refuge in a cottage with Jed. Jed is an grumpy grouch who did not like having his peace and solitude interrupted. After a night in confinement, the snow let's up and Jed drives Meg and Scott to her parents for Christmas.
When they arrive, Jed's protective instincts kick in when he meets Meg's mother. There are a lot of tension and dysfunction in her family. Jed stays with her because he needs to protect Meg and Scott. And although he fights it, he can't help falling in love with Meg.
Then there is the family - Meg's mother was one cold character. Icicles envy her coldness. And her sister Sonia- don't like her at all. Nothing redeeming about that one. Loved Meg's dad though.
This was a book about finding love. Not just romantic love, but the rediscovery of familial love. It was wonderful to see how the family came back together once their secrets were shared
Une jolie romance entre une jeune mère et un mystérieux sauveteur.
Meg et son fils de trois ans, Scott, un adorable petit garçon sont en route pour aller fêter Noël en famille. Mais alors qu’il tombait à peine quelques flocons lorsqu’ils ont quitté Londres, ils se trouvent pris dans une véritable tempête de neige, la voiture dérape et s’arrête contre un mur. Heureusement, le propriétaire Jed vient à leur secours et les héberge.
Je remercie NetGalley ainsi que les Éditions Harlequin qui m’ont procuré un excellent moment de détente avec la lecture de ce roman. Au début, Jed et Meg sont plutôt à couteaux tirés et Jed va finir par se montrer très protecteur. Très vite, ils vont être attirés l’un par l’autre. Les dialogues sont assez amusants d’autant plus qu’aucun des deux n’a la langue dans sa poche. Comme Jed, on pressent un mystère : pourquoi Meg a-t-elle attendu plus de trois ans pour emmener son fils chez ses parents ? Elle a une sœur jumelle qui a réussi dans la vie, Sonia, avec laquelle elle ne semble pas avoir gardé de contacts. Mais également que cache Jed ?
Ensuite, la situation devient de moins en moins crédible, mais comme je recherchais une lecture facile, sans prise de tête, cela ne m’a pas gênée. Après tout, c’était durant le temps de Noël et mon âme de midinette s’est parfaitement satisfaite de cette romance légère et courte.
لم يكن من خطط ميغ أن تبدأ رحلتها باصطدامها بحائط منزل كول، الرجل الذي يسكن في كوخ خشبي وسط عاصفة ثلجية ..وبسبب سوء الاحوال تضطر لأن تبيت لديه عدة ايام حتى تحتمي هي وأبنها وتصل لاحقاً لمنزل والدتها التي تكرهها .
Carole Mortimer, much like Carol Grace or Liz Fielding, is one of the few Harlequin contemporary authors I will give a shot to with virtually no research into the book/story. Past experience has proven I will enjoy, if not love, a book by one of those three ladies with an almost 100% certainty.
I picked this up at a book sale, at some point or other, because it had "twins", "secrets" and "Christmas" involved in it. For the most part it didn't let me down. At under 200pgs, and obviously following at least one of the Harlequin Romance Book Formula Outlines, much of what I wanted from it wasn't feasible.
For instance while we know that Meg is at odds with her family, its not til the last third (when she actually ARRIVES at her family's home) that we get a real feel for that tension. For the other two thirds the book was centered squarely around Meg & Jed's mutual (though reluctant) attraction, Jed's reluctance to involve himself (and failing horribly at that) and Jed's own secret. I felt that didn't give us enough time to really build steam with the secrets of Meg's family. This book is MAYBE a week long time wise, but even that's doubtful (I think its more like four days). Not only does Meg & Jed fall into (reluctant) love, but also all the problems of Meg's family are just..laid out in the open and more or less mended.
Reasons for her mother Lydia's aloofness towards Meg & Sonia? Resolved. Reasons for the estrangement between Meg & Sonia (her twin)? Resolved. Reasons for Meg's fear about seeing Sonia again? Resolved. Reasons Jed and Meg shouldn't be together? Resolved.
The last ten pages was literally like a checklist that Mortimer went through--it felt like she suddenly realized she needed to fit in Jed's epiphany for his feelings, Meg's epiphany AND resignation to Jed's leaving forever, Meg & Sonia making up, Meg's real fear coming, Lydia's problems coming out...so as a result who those people were (David, Sonia, Sonia's husband Jeremy, Lydia) got shafted and info-dumps occurred. If it wasn't for the fact Sonia told us that her and her husband were terrifically happy together I would have never know it (she kept flirting with Jed). Meg briefly talks about her father "being different somehow", but doesn't elaborate. Sonia claims she wants Meg to be happy but at least twice mentions she doesn't want her telling Jed the "truth" and is frustrated by how much Meg could have told him (she essentially wants Meg to be happy, but wants her to continue to lie to any future significant other. A secret Sonia is terrified of Jeremy finding out about and leaving her over).
Also the fact that Jed was an author with writer's block felt so...contrived. Or rather his being a best selling author felt contrived and barely necessary to the plot except as a "aha! moment" later on when they meet Meg's family. He could have literally been any other kind of millionaire with pretty much the same effect (was it plot necessary to have him be a best selling household name? Yeah it made for some diverting moments when this or that person asked him about his next book he was having trouble writing, but it meant little in the long run).
So in the end while I was entertained reading this book it didn't necessarily rock my socks off.
كانت ميغ تحلم بتمضية عيد الميلاد تحت الثلوج، ولكن بالتأكيد ليس بالطريقة التي حدثت معها. فقد تعطّلت سيارتها في عاصفة ثلجية واضطرت لطلب المساعدة من رجل غريب.لم يكن الكاتب الشهير جيد كول مسروراً جداً بتلك الأم التي طرقت بابه مع ابنها الصغير وفرضا نفسيهما عليه. غير أن حرارة الطقس المتدنيّة في الخارج والعزلة، أرغمتهما على تمضية الوقت معاً. وشيئاً فشيئاً بدأت حرارة المشاعر ترتفع وتذيب الثلوج...
It would have gotten 4 stars a Romance instead of a modern romance novel
This book read more like a Romance and less like a presents, but that didn't bother me greatly... and tbh the twins secret that came out was not a surprise the hints were there.. the mother's revelation was, albeit a bit rushed
Very moving storyline about a dysfunctional family and the secrets that kept them apart. Meg and Jed's romance was very sweet. Jed's protective instincts about Meg and her son Scott were so endearning making the book that much sweeter.
Enjoyed it. Mosly love Scott's cuteness and wished he had more role in the story. The love part a bit rushed for my taste (I'm one of people who don't believe in love at first sight). Overall, it's an okay story.
"En résumé, une romance toute douce pour les fêtes, avec deux personnages hauts en couleurs et surtout des vérités et des secrets qui éclatent au goût du jour. Un point noir pour cette fin qui est tout sauf réaliste, ce qui est bien dommage, car le reste du roman était vraiment bien."
كانت ميغ تحلم بتمضية عيد الميلاد تحت الثلوج، ولكن بالتأكيد ليس بالطريقة التي حدثت معها. فقد تعطّلت سيارتها في عاصفة ثلجية واضطرت لطلب المساعدة من رجل غريب.لم يكن الكاتب الشهير جيد كول مسروراً جداً بتلك الأم التي طرقت بابه مع ابنها الصغير وفرضا نفسيهما عليه. غير أن حرارة الطقس المتدنيّة في الخارج والعزلة، أرغمتهما على تمضية الوقت معاً. وشيئاً فشيئاً بدأت حرارة المشاعر ترتفع وتذيب الثلوج...